Tug-of-War

In a timely and significant intervention, the Supreme Court has raised pointed concerns about the Election Commission of India's (ECI) ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.

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Without halting the process, the Court flagged the unrealistic timeline and the potential disenfranchisement of legitimate voters, particularly when crucial documents like Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards were inexplicably left off the official list of acceptable proof of identity. The Court's remarks are not merely procedural; they strike at the heart of India's democratic functioning. Observing that the country suffers from "document starvation," the two-judge bench underscored the practical difficulty many citizens face in furnishing the kind of documents mandated by the ECI. The judges urged the Commission to include Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards as acceptable documents, even while allowing it to provide justified reasons for excluding any of them. The message was clear: electoral reform cannot be allowed to morph into voter suppression. Exclusionary rules in the name of reform only erode public trust. Electoral transparency cannot come at the expense of accessibility, especially for the most vulnerable and underrepresented in our society. What is particularly troubling is that Aadhaar has already been linked to electoral rolls under the amended Section 23 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Voter ID is the very instrument through which individuals have participated in elections for decades. Ration cards, too, are widely held, especially among rural and low-income households. To dismiss these in a state-wide revision drive, just months ahead of elections, is not just illogical; it borders on institutional negligence. Voters should not be made to navigate legalese and arbitrary rules simply to retain a right they have already exercised. Democratic access must remain simple, equitable, and firmly rooted in trust.